Thwaite Mills facts for kids
Thwaite Mills is a really cool industrial museum located in Leeds, a city in West Yorkshire, England. Imagine a place where you can see how things were made a long time ago, powered by water! This museum is a fully working mill that was built way back in 1823-1825. It uses the natural power of the River Aire to make its machines run. People say it's one of the best examples of an old water-powered mill still around in Britain. Leeds City Council helps to run it, making sure everyone can learn about its amazing history. The mill building, the manager's house, and three other buildings nearby are all special historic places, protected by law.
The Story of Thwaite Mills
The very first mill we know about on this spot was built in 1641. It was a "fulling mill," which means it helped make woollen cloth by cleaning and thickening it. This was a big industry in the area back then.
In 1823-1825, a company called the Aire and Calder Navigation bought the mill. They made it much bigger and better. They built two huge new waterwheels. The site then included the main mill building, a house for the manager, stables for horses, a workshop, a warehouse, and small houses for the workers. The workers' houses were taken down in 1968, but all the other buildings are still there today.
The mill was used for many different jobs over the years:
- At first, a company named W and E Joy used it to crush seeds. This made oil for lubrication and for lamps. They also crushed special imported woods for the dyeing industry, which made colours for fabrics.
- Later, in 1872, the Horn family took over. They used the mill to crush flint and "china stone." These materials were important for making pottery.
- They also ground chalk to make "whiting." Whiting was used in many things, from medicines to whitewash paint.
- After that, they crushed barytes for the paint industry.
- Finally, until 1975, the mill was used to make putty, a material used for sealing windows.
Thwaite Mills is on an island between the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Navigation canal. The people who owned it tried to make it as self-sufficient as possible. This means they produced a lot of what they needed right there. The site had workshops, fruit orchards, fields for growing crops, and pastures for animals. The mill didn't even get electricity until 1986! Instead, it made its own power from the two big waterwheels. It also had a special Marshall engine bought in the 1930s to power one of its machines.
Visiting the Museum
In January 1975, something important happened: the river weir, which controls the water flow, broke. This meant the waterwheels stopped turning. A group of volunteers formed the Thwaite Mills Society in 1976. They wanted to save and fix this amazing place. They got help from the local council. The river weir was rebuilt, and the museum officially opened its doors in 1990. Today, Leeds City Council works with Yorkshire Water to keep it running.
When you visit, you can see the huge waterwheels working. The mill also has a collection of old machines that were used there at different times. Guides will take you on tours inside the mill building, showing you how everything worked.
You can also explore the manager's house. It has been set up to look just like it did in the 1940s, before electricity was installed. It's like stepping back in time! The museum site also has an old steam crane from 1946 and special areas where you can see local wildlife. They often have fun special events too, so there's always something new to discover!
